Meet the Finalists - Young Leader of the Year
The next generation of leaders across Gippsland’s food and fibre sector is rich in talent, passion and drive. Whether they’re managing a multi generation family business, going all in with their own start up or are a senior team member of a small, medium or large business, this group of under 35’s are going places with a vision and a work ethic that is great for their industry and the community as a whole.
The winner of the Young Agribusiness Leader of the Year will be awarded a place in the highly coveted TRAIL Emerging Leaders Leadership program, generously provided by one of our Awards Program Founding Partners and our Young Leader Award sponsor, the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.
There are four finalists for the 2021 award, representing three of the region’s LGA’s ; the Wellington Shire, East Gippsland Shire and the Bass Coast.
The East Gippsland finalists are Chris Gascoigne from Dennison Foods and Rachel Sangailo from East Gippsland Coffee Roasters. Matt Vaux from Rosedale Butchers flies the flag for the Middle of Everywhere in the Wellington Shire and from the Bass Coast, Sam Ruzicka’s work at the Wild Food Farm at Rhyll, Phillip Island has been recognised.
Chris Gascoigne - Dennison Foods
About Chris
Employed in the food and fibre sector with Dennison Foods for the last four years, Chris is a Project Manager who has taken on a role in the Senior Leadership team in the last 12 months, showing a unique ability to utilise strengths in his team, whilst helping them with their weaknesses at the same time. Driven by complex challenges, Chris has been responsible for the budget management and execution of projects worth over $4 million to the business.
Chris is not afraid to get his hands dirty and demonstrates to the team that hard work is both valued and appreciated. His intellectual curiosity allows him to see opportunity even when faced with uncertainty and challenges. He communicates very effectively with his team, applying the right tone to demonstrate his support, and that he ultimately wants what is best for them, motivating them towards better performance and outcomes for the business.
He sets the bar in almost every area, from his work ethic to his integrity.
About Rachel
With a background in occupational therapy, Rachel has taken on a completely new role in the food and fibre industry, via the business she has established with husband Tim, East Gippsland Coffee Roasters.
Rachel - East Gippsland Coffee Roasters
Using her well honed interpersonal relationship skills after many years of one on one time with clients in a therapy environment, Rachel has grown the business by tapping into new networks and exploring collaborative opportunities.
Hailing from the Barossa Valley, she grew up surrounded by amazing produce, so is a firm believer that quality food and coffee can improve pretty much everything in life!
Rachel manages all marketing activity for their brand, and works closely with designers and artists ( she’s one of the artists as well!) to position the East Gippsland Coffee Roasters brand as a premium quality artisan product, carefully curated in Gippsland.
When people order online, she likes to think that when they receive their package they feel like they’ve got a gift from someone they know.
She hopes her dedication to quality and a personal touch shines a positive light on the East and provides a source of inspiration for others to back East Gippsland with their creative endeavours.
She views the East Gippsland Coffee Roasters business as an opportunity to not only make a living but to create a community of coffee lovers who can collaboratively promote the region. - and inspire people to take risks and say yes to crazy ideas that benefit the region.
About Matt
Matt is the General Manager of the third generation family business, Rosedale Butchers. A busy operation on the main street of Rosedale employing 4 part time staff and open 6 days a week, they have a clear market position, completely differentiating themselves from the large supermarkets which has driven high demand for their high quality products. Matt has been managing the business with his parents since 2008 and is responsible for the day to day operations, coordinating with suppliers, planning out the week and organising all the elements of their processing department. He has created a number of new product lines, including ready meals that use the least popular meat cuts, reducing food waste and increasing profitability in the process.
One of the first things people connect to with Matt is his authenticity and passion for collaborating with and supporting other local businesses, either by stocking their product on his retail shelves or working with local producers to incorporate their raw ingredients into his product lines manufactured on site.
He leads by example and he’s never afraid to try new things - he’s definitely a life learner with a growth mindset who thrives on teaching his staff new skills and continuing to support their development personally, and in the business.
About Sam
Sam Ruzicka is the Operations Manager at the Wild Food Farm and his diverse and rich experience in the food and fibre sector is a valuable asset amongst the small passionate team on Phillip Island. Country Victoria holds a special place in Sam’s heart, having grown up on an alpaca farm in Tylden before completing his schooling at Geelong Grammar. His hospitality studies at Latrobe University have taken him into many parts of the industry including breweries, hotels, golf clubs, casinos and catering.
Sam - Wild Food Farm
Sam works closely with the Wild Food Farm owner, Jude Mayall, on a daily basis to ensure the business runs smoothly. He and Jude are in constant discussion and collaboration on the day to day activities as well as planning future projects to expand the services on offer in the business. He uses all of the skills acquired from past work environments in the unique environment of the Wild Food Farm and enjoys the satisfaction of continuous improvement having a positive impact on the bottom line.
Sam is always looking for opportunities to better himself and is currently part of the Key Hoy tourism mentoring program where his focus is on corporate events, weddings and groups.
By applying the positive approach that leaders and mentors he looks up to employ with him, he strives to excel in getting the most out of people who turn to him for guidance or instruction.
